UMD's Vogler, Ex-Viking Sutherland React to Hail Mary TD

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KBJR News 1

September 25, 2012Updated Sep 25, 2012 at 9:07 PM CDT

Duluth, MN (Northland's NewsCenter) --- Fans and analysts everywhere have been sounding off about the touchdown call at the end of Monday's Seattle-Green Bay game, and that now includes current University of Minnesota-Duluth (UMD) quarterback Chase Vogler and former Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Doug Sutherland.

The call was made as time expired at the end of the Monday Night Football game, with the officials granting a game-winning touchdown to Seattle's Golden Tate despite appearances that Green Bay cornerback M.D. Jennings had intercepted the pass.

For Vogler, admittedly a fan of the Packers, the touchdown call was the last straw in a series of questionable calls made against Green Bay by the NFL replacement officials.

"As a fan of football, it was kind of tough to watch," Vogler said. "There were a few phantom calls. There was the roughing the passer, the pass interference, and then, to top it all off, the debacle at the end. It's tough to swallow, but the [New Orleans] Saints are next week, so we can't change it now."

Sutherland, who was on the field with the Minnesota defense for the now nicknamed "Immaculate Reception," said bad calls are unfortunately part of the game, adding that he thought it was the wrong call in the end.

"It happens. It happened to us in the original hail mary pass when Nate Wright got pushed to the ground, and we missed a chance at going to the Super Bowl," Sutherland said. "This was disappointing for [the Packers], but it wasn't the end of the season. Dallas went on to win the Super Bowl [in 1976]. It happens in football. I thought it was a bad call. I thought it was an interception."

Sutherland played 10 seasons with Minnesota and afterward played one year with Seattle, that coming in 1981. Even with his prior alliegance to the Vikings and the Seahawks, the Superior native remained confident that Green Bay should have won the game.

The NFL office released a statement on Monday supporting the referee's decision to let the call on the field stand after video review, but the statement also said Tate should have been flagged for offensive pass interference on the play.